Hey--I think something may be living in your refrigerator, by the way. When I grabbed a beer just now, the crisper drawer opened a crack, then slammed shut. Almost made me drop the bottle!
My name's Jack Roberts. I'm originally from one of those no-name aggie settlements southeast of Atlanta City, but I live downtown now--have since college. My official title at work is Principal Wetware Architect--I work for BiAug Personal Systems--but I spend most of my time these days doing research. Personal Grid Implants haven't changed much at the neurochip interface level for probably fifteen years now, so there's not much architecting to do. I've been trying to get current on biomolecular tech so we can push past electronics and get real, marketable molecular constructs designed to replace chip-based tech...
Oh, I'm sorry--I see your eyes glazing over. Let's see, what else did you ask for? Well, I'm married, no kids. Um... My wife--Lynn--is... she was involved in that suicide bombing back in twenty ninety-four--don't know if you remember it--the one that took out the Augmentics Building in Atlanta City. She, uh, she's comatose but stable. I got her into the long-term care facility at Emory, and we--her doctors and I--have high hopes that she'll recover.
I have two brothers--younger--who stayed with the family agro business, so they still live in southeast Atlanta C.S. near my parents. Haven't seen them or Mom & Dad for--wow--must be close to two years now. I don't like to get too far away from Lynn, and my Dad hates the city. He was drafted into civil defense near the end of WW-E, so he says the memories are too much for him when he sees downtown.
Like I said, I don't get out much these days, so that's about it. Did I cover everything?
"I think that it is noble what you are doing for your dear Lynn. My wife wasn't so lucky. We were visiting New York during the fall of twenty ninety-two and she mistakenly tried some unpurified water and took sick. She died a few hours later and was buried in the New Jersey Mass Cemetery shortly after. It was all too quick for me to even grieve. Anyways, enough about me, I do believe I did have a few more questions for you."
He put down his soda.
"I may not know much about your line of work, but tell me, do you enjoy it? I know its not your field by trade, but is it satisfying for you? And along those lines, what is your family business? And why are you not in it like your brothers?"
Especially since all trips begin in the cities. I've heard the old saying getting there is half the fun, but getting away is twice the fun. Must have been coined by a city slicker.